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Summary: Missing link
Review: As mentioned by Durant in this preface for the latest edition, the only point where this work is incomplete is in discussing about the eastern philosophies, which require great commentaries from people like Durant.
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Summary: It makes you love philosophy
Review: Durant was an inspiring writer who believed in and loved the life of the mind. I first read this book in my high- school years and it inspired me to want to know more and more philosophy. Durant's mixture of the life story and the teaching of the philosophy is especially successful. One of the most moving accounts in the book is of Spinoza who in Durant's words was " the only great philosopher who lived in accordance with what he wrote"
There are histories of philosophy which give more real knowledge of the work of the philosopher( Copleston, Russell, Jones) but Durant's remains an extremely readable and attractive introduction to the whole subject.
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Summary: Inspiring
Review: Durant's mastery of his subjects and entertaining, compelling style are absolutely unmatched. I have carried this book with me everywhere since high school, and I am increasingly inspired and awestruck each time I read it. A masterpiece of criticism.
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Summary: Best introduction to Philosophy
Review: Durant, in this masterpiece, explains the history of Philosophy from before Socrates all the way to Santayana, James and Dewey. His combination of wit, insights into life and encyclopedic knowledge of the subject makes this book a page turner.He may have popularized philosophy but he hasn't lost the essence as some other authors have done by watering down the messages. It's still there in its original form but he doesn't use pretentious prose to appear learned. You know he knows what he is talking about without him having to resort to the 'specialized' language that other authors speaking about philosophy turn to. This is one great expositor, and he will get you interested in the subject if you were only lukewarm about it before. He explains how a Philosopher develops; he describes the personal influences as well as the societal. You understand by reading him that philosophies do not appear in a vacuum, they are an answer to previous questions and philosophies and the problems most pressing at that time. So you have Durant explaining Schopenhauer's lack of affinity with women and those around him and his almost schizophrenic fear having an effect on his philosophical views. You also understand why Kant wrote the Critique of pure reason and who it was in response to. I found it hard to understand Kant before, but Durant has made his main ideas so lucid that I will now attempt to read _The critique of pure reason._ You also get to know the philosophers in a personal way; you feel with Plato the sorrow of losing a master, who goes stoically to his death because he believes in his philosophy. Only a great author can make you feel for someone who lived thousands of years ago. I must make a note to the Christian reader. Many of the philosophers discussed by Durant were Atheists and many of their philosophies were a reaction to the dominant Christian theology at the time. I found though that some of these philosophers were not attacking Christianity per se, but the organized religion that had called itself by that name. I read this book keeping in mind that these philosophies, although very illuminating, are man made and fallible. I think if you are strong in your faith, you can read this book and take some of their bitter attacks against Christianity as their personal views about the subject, without worrying yourself too much. The greatest thing this book did is introduce Philosophy to me in a straightforward way. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with even a fleeting interest in Philosophy. The writing is so plain and clear that the only things that may be difficult to understand are the philosophies themselves rather than the prose. Good luck to you.
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Summary: ENTROPIE, ANTHROPIE...
Review: EPICURE, RABELAIS, MENDEL, conscience
moving by enkephaline connecting or linking
our brain with expansion of universe as was saying GASSENDI , FRANCISCO DE ORTIZ...
NEXT TIME MY ENGLISH LOGO WILL BE BETTER...SEE YOU LATER..
Rating: 
Summary: enough with the meandering digressions
Review: First of all who rights these books, Will or his Wife arieal? Im tired of them sharing credit cuz we both know they arnt both this prolific. The Durants are obviously well educated but when is someone going to put a stop to their/his/her desultory discursives. STAY FOCUSED. The author needs to introduce more structure into his work and stop talking about the Lyceum in one sentence and the influences of tuetoic incursions upon Aristotles ephemeral nature of the fully realized existance the next instince. Its like Bill Murray said in Strips "when you start these little stories please have a point in mind." Please.
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Summary: Clever Insight Into the Mind of Philosophy
Review: First published in 1926, Will Durant's philosophical masterpiece, 'The Story of Philosophy...', is certianly one of the grandest works ever published on the topic of philosophy to date. It is more than a mere "textbook" of philosophy, (however the informatian contained within is certianly thorough), it is clever and may I add witty at times; e.g. "...[Bertrand Russell] looked like his subject, which was epistemology--thin, pale, and moribund; one expected to see him die at every period." Beginning his study in 1912, Durant would come to spend the next fourteen years of his life devoted to the formation of this book (eleven of which were spent on research and the latter three on the initial composition.) From the agnostic materialism of Socrates to Croce's esthetics, Will Durant leads the reader through the fascinating (and occasionally disquieting) world of philosophy.
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Summary: Fantastic!
Review: I am not even done, but feel compeled to write a positive review of this wonderful work by Will Durant. I was looking for a book to introduce me to philosophical thought (I took logic in college - a mistake!). This book fits the bill if you want a great overview of the most famous philosophers. I intend to read more works by the philosophers themselves after I finish. Get this book - best [$$]you will ever spend! Enjoy!
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Summary: Think twice before ordering the Mass Market publication
Review: I did a search for ''The Story of Philosophy'' and only the Mass Market version of this book came up (ISBN 0-671-73916-6) which I ordered. The print was so unreadable due, at least to my copy, of a very heavy, black, flared type-setting. There was no chance of reading the book with any enjoyment....lo and behold I find a second book (ISBN 0-671-69500-2) which is excellently type-set, and very readable. Even though this second book format is twice the price of the cheaply done Mass Market format, it is eminently worth it. I make these comments, in order to save some poor soul from the hassle I went through to get a readable copy of this most excellent book.
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Summary: I never thought philosophy could be so much fun!!!
Review: I have read the best book on the history of philosophy that one could ever imagine...and then, some! Will Durant makes the greatest Western thinkers come alive and breaths their thoughts into one's head as he writes down the pages of this lively tale. It is on a par with the best novels I've ever read, complete with excitement and drama on every page. In college, I always wondered why anyone would want to study, much less, major in such a "boring and unintelligible" subject as philosophy. Now, thirty-five years later, I wish that I had read this book before entering college. It may have changed the course of my life's work. As it is, being 55 years old, now, it has changed whatever course is left to me. I can never look on the world in the same way I did before reading this wonderful book. Now, I have actually picked up books about and by Spinoza, Aristotle, Plato, Voltaire, and even Kant and Hegel, and have had the courage to read from their actual musings. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever looked up at the hundreds of billions of stars at night and wondered, "What part do I play in this magnificent and vast universe?" Will Durant did what no one else has ever done for me...he made philosophy intelligible!
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